MCA Takes On Washington D.C.

By Kaylee Krzoska

Fourteen students from Culverhouse’s Management Consulting Academy (MCA) traveled to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with consulting firms and network with alumni within the city. During the trip, they received valuable insight into the consulting industry while connecting on their experiences with alumni.

As Joe Clark, a third-year student triple-majoring in mathematics, finance, and economics said about the trip, “It was genuinely one of the most helpful and informative visits I’d ever been on, and it was in that meeting where I truly became excited about the future opportunities I’d have.”

Management consulting is one of the hardest careers to land a job in after graduating college. Since its founding in 2015, MCA has aimed to give participants a leg-up over their peers by preparing them for the pressures of the job by aiding members with the recruiting process, preparing them for complex interviews, building connections, and crafting resumes specific to the consulting industry.

Since then dozens of MCA alumni have gone on to the largest consulting firms in the United States.

Members who attended the D.C. trip all felt this experience gave them the reassurance and knowledge that working in the consulting field would be the right choice. Deborah Oberkor, a fourth-year pre-MBA student, said, “It has increased my confidence in casing, interviewing, and opportunity exposure. Being in this group has given me access to many programs to apply for, which has been very helpful.”

Trips like this one allow students to meet with the company they are interning with next summer while gaining knowledge of the consulting field from industry professionals.

Networking is a key part of prepping for a future career. Dylan Manley, an MBA student, said, “I think going on the networking trip has accelerated my career. Seeing the offices and meeting with consultants firsthand has put me in a position to make the career choices that will better align with my interests.”

After networking with alumni and industry professionals many students felt that management consulting is the right career field choice for them. Luke Dille, a fourth-year pre-MBA student, said, “I knew this was the right career for me when Stephen Buko (a Culverhouse alum and member of the Culverhouse Board of Visitors) talked about the invaluable exit opportunities he received by entering the field of management consulting.”

MCA students pose in front of the Presidential Seal L-R (back row): Tyler Nussbaumer, Michael Sain, Mckenna Mentzel, Luke Dille, Parker Kucera, Ben Heggeman, Joe Clark, Dylan Manley, Collin Heisler L-R (front row): Deborah Oberkor, Lauren Smith, Clara Gibbs, Mary Stahlman, Cameron Doyle, Royce Dickerson (Alabama MBA, 2023)

MCA students examine pictures and artwork during a tour of The White House L-R: Cameron Doyle, Luke Dille, Joe Clark, Dylan Manley, Mary Stahlman

Ryan Pellegrino (2018, Alabama B.S., Mechanical Engineering) shares about his experiences as a student leader at the University of Alabama and as a strategy consultant at Oliver Wyman L-R: Deborah Oberkor, Lauren Smith, Parker Kucera, Dylan Manley, Mary Stahlman

MCA students tour The Helix, Booz Allen’s Center for Innovation, and learned how the company is using artificial intelligence and other technology to address the U.S. government’s most pressing challenges.

MCA students tour The Helix, Booz Allen’s Center for Innovation, and learned how the company is using artificial intelligence and other technology to address the U.S. government’s most pressing challenges.

Get involved with the Culverhouse Management Consulting Academy by visiting their website or following along on social media.